Kite construction



y 5, 1954 P. P. MOORE 3,131,895

KITEI CONSTRUCTION Filed May 16, 1963 Peter Par Moore ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,131,895 KITE CONSTRUCTION Peter P. Moore, 2404 W. 13th St., Pueblo, Colo. Filed May 16, 1963, Ser. No. 280,859 10 Claims. (Cl. 244-453) This invention relates to a kite construction and more particularly to an inflatable, baloon-type structure, which is particularly designed to provide improved aerodynamic characteristics.

A primary object of the instant invention is the provision of an inflatable kite having an aerodynamically sound configuration and being adapted for flying in the conventional manner.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a kite structure comprising an inflatable member having a central body portion and a pair of outwardly directed airfoil portions extending longitudinally on each side of the body portion and in communnication therewith.

A further object of this invention is to provide a preferred embodiment of such a kite construction wherein the airfoil portions extend outwardly and downwardly toward the bottom face of the inflatable member to thereby improve its aerodynamic characteristics.

A still further object of the instant invention is the provision of a kite construction of the type described having means secured thereto for attaching a string or cord with which to fly the same.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a ballon-type kite construction of aerodynamically sound configuration having means attached to the rear thereof for securing a stabilizer or tail in a Well known manner.

Other and further objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of kite construction in accordance with the instant inventive concept, a portion of a string or cord for flying the same being illustrated, and a modified arrangement for securing the cord or string being shown in dotted lines;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the kite construction shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of a. further embodiment of kite construction in accordance with the instant invention;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 66 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of a still further modification of kite construction in accordance with the instant inventive concept;

FIGURE 8 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 99 of FIGURE 7.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in general, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 to 3, a preferred embodiment of kite construction in accordance with this invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and comprises basically an inflatable member 12 formed of any conventional material, such as rubber, plastic, or the like, and having a top face 14, a bottom face 16, a front end 18, and a rear end 20. The inflatable member 14 defines a central body portion 22 enclosing a central body portion cavity 24, and a pair of airfoil portions 26 and 28, extending longitudinally on each side of the central body portion 22 and enclosing airfoil portion cavities 30 and 32, respectively, each communicating with the central body portion cavity 24. In this preferred embodiment the airfoil portions 26 and 28 extend outwardly and downwardly toward the bottom face 16 of the inflatable member 14, preferably at substantially oppositely disposed 45 degree angles with respect to a central longitudinal plane (not shown) taken through the body portion 22. At least one, and preferably two, string-attaching nipples 34 and 36 are secured to, or formed integral with, the bottom face 16 of the inflatable member 12, in spaced relationship along a substantially central longitudinal plane through the body portion 22. Conventional string or cord, such as indicated at 38, may be secured to either or both nipples 34 and 36, in the manner shown in full lines, or two separate strings 38 and 38' may be secured individually to the nipples 34 and 36, respectively. The opposite end of the string or strings 38 and 38' is rolled in a ball and held by the operator of the kite 10 in a well known manner. An additional nipple 40 may be secured substantially centrally of the rear end 20 of the inflatable member 12 for securing thereto a stabilizer or tail member 42 formed of a strip or strips of cloth or the like.

The use and operation of the kite construction of the instant invention will now be apparent. The inflatable member 12 is filled with air or a lighter than air gaseous material, such as helium, or the like, and the string or strings 38 and 38' are secured to the nipples 34 and 36, respectively. If the kite 10 has been filled with air, the same is towed behind the user and pulled into the wind in order to have the same lifted into the air by the aerodynamic characteristics inherent in the airfoil portions 26 and 28. The user maintains a grip on the remote end of the string or strings 38 and 38' and continues to pay out the same as the kite 16 is lifted lr'gher into the atmosphere. Of course, a conventional opening is provided in any convenient location in the inflatable member 12 to allow for insertion of air under pressure and removal of the same to deflate the member 12.

While the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 3 is preferred since it has the most aerodynamically sound configuration, the instant inventive concept includes other utilization of airfoil portions, such as shown in the modifications of FIGURES 4 to 6 and 7 to 9.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 4 to 6, a further embodiment of the kite construction of the instant invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 50 and is comprised basically of an inflatable member 52 having a top face 54, a bottom face 56, a front end 58, and a rear end 60. The inflatable member 52 defines a central body portion 62 enclosing a central body portion cavity 64, and two airfoil portions 66 and 68 extending longitudinally thereof and enclosing airfoil portion cavities 70 and 72, respectively, each of the airfoil portion cavities being in communication with the central body portion cavity 64. The airfoil portions 66 and 68 extend at substantially oppositely disposed degree angles with respect to a central longitudinal plane (not shown) through the body portion 54 and are substantially smaller in volume than the body portion cavity 64. This configuration, while not as aerodynamically efficient as the design of FIGURES 1 to 3, does provide substantially better flying characteristics than kite constructions known heretofore. String-attaching nipples 74 and 76 and a tail-attaching nipple '78 are provided and serve substantially the same function as the comparable elements shown in the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 3.

A further modified embodiment of the kite construction of this invention is illustrated in FIGURES 7 to 9 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 89. This embodiment comprises basically an inflatable member 82 having a top face 84, a bottom face 86, a front end 88, and a rear end 90 and defining a central body portion 92 enclosing a central body portion cavity 94, and a pair of airfoil portions 96 and 98 extending longitudinally on each side of the body portion 92 and enclosing airfoil portion cavities 100 and 182, respectively, each of which is in communication with the central body portion cavity 94. Thel'airfoil portions 96 and 98 extend at substantially oppositely disposed 90 degree angles with respect to a central longitudinal plane (not shown) through the body portion 92 and each of the airfoil portion cavities'lOt) and 102 and the central body portion cavity 94 are of substantially equal volumes. In this embodiment, as in the embodiments of FIGURES 1 to 3 and 4 to 6, string attaching nipples 104 and 106 are provided, as is a tail-attaching nipple 108.

The use and operation of the embodiments of FIG- URES 4 to 6 and 7 to 9, respectively, is substantially similar to the use and operation of the embodiment of FIG- URES 1 to 3 described hereinabove.

It will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved kite construction which satisfies all the objectives of the instant invention and others, and which is specifically designed for improved aerodynamic characteristics, many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance being provided.

Since many embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concept, and since many modifications may be made of the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a hollow gas inflatable non-rigid kite or balloontype structure formed as a closed envelope having a maximum length or fore and aft dimension, an intermediate width or beam dimension, and a smallest height or depth dimension, possessing a maximum cross-sectional displacement approximately midway between its forward facing nose and its rearward directed tail, and possessing decreasing and similar cross-sectional displacements both towards said nose and said tail, the improvement comprising: providing an inflated shape at said maximum cross-section having a central substantially circular body outline and a pair of smaller diameter outwardly directed exactly circular in cross-section airfoil portions, each air-' foil intersecting the body at two points symmetrical with respect to a vertical line passing through the axis of the body, the centers of the circular air foils being on radii which make angles between 45 and 90 degrees withthe bottom portion of said vertical line, the vertices of said angles being at the axis of the central body thus presenting four spaced apart longitudinally extending re-entrant and distinct valley like surface configurations on the outside of the structure whereby the aerodynamic stability of the structure about a vertical plane passing through the axis of the body'is improved as compared to similar structures not possessing the pairs of longitudinally extending valleys or re-entrant surfaces.

2. The structure of claiml wherein the midway crosssectional shape of the single central body when inflated is oval with a minor vertical axis and a major horizontal axis.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the midway crosssectional shape of the central body, when inflated, isexactly circular.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein, when inflated, the

7 vertical height of each airfoil is only slightly less than the diameter of the central body.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein, under inflated conditions the angles between'the said vertical line and the centers of the circular foils are each substantially 45 degrees.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein, under inflated conditions, the angles between said vertical line and the centers of the circular foils are each substantially degrees.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein a pair of stringattaching nipples are secured to the bottom of the structure along a vertical central plane passing through the References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,486,158 Haas Oct. 25, 1949 2,630,321 Clyne Mar. 3, 1953 3,003,722 Pohl Oct. 10, 19 1 3,086,737 Hyman Apr. 23, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS. 1,085,385 France July 28, 1954 

1. IN A HOLLOW GAS INFLATABLE NON-RIGID KITE OR BALLOONTYPE STRUCTURE FORMED AS A CLOSED ENVELOPE HAVING A MAXIMUM LENGTH OR FORE AND AFT DIMENSION, AN INTERMEDIATE WIDTH OR BEAM DIMENSION, AND A SMALLEST HEIGHT OR DEPTH DIMENSION, POSSESSING A MAXIMUM CROSS-SECTIONAL DISPLACEMENT APPROXIMATELY MIDWAY BETWEEN ITS FORWARD FACING NOSE AND ITS REARWARD DIRECTED TAIL, AND POSSESSING DECREASING AND SIMILAR CROSS-SECTIONAL DISPLACEMENTS BOTH TOWARDS SAID NOSE AND SAID TAIL, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: PROVIDING AN INFLATED SHAPE AT SAID MAXIMUM CROSS-SECTION HAVING A CENTRAL SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR BODY OUTLINE AND A PAIR OF SMALLER DIAMETER OUTWARDLY DIRECTED EXACTLY CIRCULAR IN CROSS-SECTION AIRFOIL PORTIONS, EACH AIRFOIL INTERSECTING THE BODY AT TWO POINTS SYMMETRICAL WITH RESPECT TO A VERTICAL LINE PASSING THROUGH THE AXIS OF THE BODY, THE CENTERS OF THE CIRCULAR AIR FOILS BEING ON RADII WHICH MAKE ANGLES BETWEEN 45 AND 90 DEGREES WITH THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID VERTICAL LINE, THE VERTICES OF SAID ANGLES BEING AT THE AXIS OF THE CENTRAL BODY THUS PRESENTING FOUR SPACED APART LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RE-ENTRANT AND DISTINCT VALLEY LIKE SURFACE CONFIGURATIONS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE WHEREBY THE AERODYNAMIC STABILITY OF THE STRUCTURE ABOUT A VERTICAL PLANE PASSING THROUGH THE AXIS OF THE BODY IS IMPROVED AS COMPARED TO SIMILAR STRUCTURES NOT POSSESSING THE PAIRS OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING VALLEYS OR RE-ENTRANT SURFACES. 